The Little Black Hole In Carly Rae Jepsen’s Golden Cup

A song is a trick to let the light in. It’s a feeling pushed outside the body, emotion compelled to become sound. We listen so we can go there together, somewhere else. I play a song for you and hope it will help you know me. Did you like it? I ask, but that’s not really what I’m asking. This song is a place — this feeling is where I live. I want to know if you will go there with me. A feeling is a place we go together. A song is a shortcut back, even when you won’t come with me anymore. I tell you I like songs about pain and desire. No one talks like that, you say. But I am not talking. I think I am singing.

E•MO•TION is Carly Rae Jepsen’s third full-length album. Those syllables are important. Say it slow like the dictionary pronunciation demands. Maybe you thought it was her second album. The “Call Me Maybe” girl? Maybe you thought it was her only album. Maybe you’ve never even thought about it that much at all. You are not good with dates and facts like that. You don’t like pop music that much. You don’t like feelings that much. E•MO•TION is her third album, yes, but the first she’s released since the hyperspeed ascension of “Call Me Maybe.” It came out exactly one year ago today.

You can crawl inside a song like it’s a place, and I guess that this must be the place, and the songs stick to us like sweat, glistening close to our skin (I remember being naked). You hear the song and I watch you move instinctively, sweetly. We are moving to the feeling together; our bodies understand how to get to this place without speaking. It was never the bar, it was never the dress, it was never even the kiss. It was always the feeling. I’m even more sure of it now that it’s gone. Put me on loop. Am I stuck in your head? Maybe our bodies are just prisms for the songs to pass through like light. Or maybe my body is singing to you. It is saying: Baby, take me to the feeling.

I clicked on the article to see if anybody commented on the filthy title and got sucked into the review. Some of your words resonated with me and i decided to give the album a shot. I love it. Reminds me of The Jets and New Edition. I haven’t given Jespen much thought, like ever, but this is a lot of fun. Thanks Caitlin. Very thoughtful review.

Thanks, Caitlin! I checked this album out last fall mostly because I’d heard Dev Hynes and Rostam were involved and I was curious what the “Call Me Maybe” girl was up to. I liked the first listen so I bought it for running music. The more I heard it the more it sank in just how beautiful and deep it was. I’ve recommended it to a bunch of people who always think I’m joking, but it’s seriously good!

I found this album totally by accident and have loved it ever since. It really bums me out to hear that it didn’t do well because it is legit heads and tails better than almost any other pop album out there. I hope you do another write up of Emotion Side B, because it’s just as good.